Mamapumpkin??? Once upon a time, she designed buildings and interiors of corporate offices and on the rare occasion, homes. Now, she cleans poop and is student of a patience management course. From the drawing board as a London Architect to the realities of Motherhood, she has certainly learned many lessons in humility. And then others.....
To succeed in the corporate world, first succeed with your kid as the happy boss. Seriously.
This blog is about Mamapumpkin: A crazy, demented Mom who cares full time, alone, without any help, for an even crazier preschooler AND a baby with a boob addiction problem.
She writes anything that comes out of her head, mostly without thinking first, which almost always gets her into trouble (according to her husband, whom she considers the love of her life.......on a good day).
Her 2 pet monkeys drive her towards challenge after challenge, 24/7. Day after Day.....and by the way, her parents are Muslim, her in-laws Buddhist, she's Catholic and her Hubs, an Atheist. She's thinking her kids should be Hindu, just to complete the rainbow religion cycle.
Gotta love it.
She'd love to hear from you : Mamapumpkin at gmail dot com
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By Mamapumpkin, on September 2nd, 2010
Recently, T1 had a best friend down from London whom we met a few times to play. People automatically assume that when you are a child of a designer, you naturally inherit your parents genes and are talented in creating stuff.
It is a myth.
First of all, creativity can be developed. The following is an excerpt I stole off the internet written by Dana Davidson,
Characteristics that signal creativity include intense absorption, curiosity, ability to put together seemingly unrelated things or ideas, sense of humor, unusual vocabulary, eagerness to share new discoveries, spontaneity, and willingness to consider new ideas. Creative people are often either interested in ongoing experiments and need time to pursue ideas in depth, or they may jump from idea to idea very quickly. They may show fluency and flexibility in their thinking. They may ask surprising questions. They may be more independent than others in their approach to doing things. They get excited about new solutions and ideas.
Creative people need time to entertain ideas, prepare materials, and let their ideas simmer for awhile. They need privacy and tolerance for ambiguity. They need to be allowed to try things out in different ways until they are satisfied with their own work. They also need to be able to select and discard efforts of their choosing— pressure to produce may stifle their creative efforts. Creativity thrives in an environment that allows questions, exploring, observing, skill-building (even Michelangelo had to practice!), communicating, and self expression.
To develop creativity, the home or classroom environment should contain a variety of materials and encourage lots of different experiences.
Developing a childhood interest—being “in love” with something and sticking with it for some time—is related significantly to adult creative achievement. Building anticipation before a trip or lesson, digging deeply into material during the lesson, and keeping the ideas alive for some time after the lesson are also ways to keep the creative processes going. Children and adults need to be introduced to examples of creative excellence. Their own work should be recognized and truly appreciated. If possible, creative efforts should be put to work and not simply acknowledged and then shelved. Adults who experience creativity programs tend to experience dramatic improvements in the quality of their lives. Self-expression, the zest of discovery, the pleasure of creating something, and freedom to try new things are all aspects of the creative process. Children can be encouraged to grow creatively, and this does not interfere with other kinds of educational achievement. We can all grow with the further development of creativity.
Long story short, if your dad isn’t an architect, you could still be the most creative kid on the block.
The kids built hotels out of Lego blocks (blocks of any kind are really the best toys in the world).
Windows to The World Hotel
Hotel Sails on the Sea
Giraffe Tower Hotel
De Castanet Hotel
What do you think? Fascinating stuff.
Allow me to encourage you to spend an hour this weekend playing lego or blocks with your child. Ask your child to build a hotel. Explain what a hotel is i.e. a place for people to stay when they are traveling. Explain the concept of a hotel – pay money, get room, facilities for guests, etc. Then allow your child to build.
Once he is finished, ask your child these questions:
What is the name of your hotel? Where is it located?
How many rooms does your hotel have?
Who stays at your hotel?
What kind of facilities does your hotel have? Explain the word facilities if your child does not know the word!
Are pets allowed at your hotel? Why/Why not?
What kind of food is served at your hotel?
What is special about your hotel? Why should I stay at your hotel instead of the hotel just down the road?
When you’ve completed this exercise of quality time with your child, whilst exercising his creative brain at the same time, please do come back to share your stories with me!
By Mamapumpkin, on September 2nd, 2010
This morning whilst I was looking at the concert schedule for Lady Gaga next year, T1 came to spy and immediately caught sight of Lady Gaga’s picture. She immediately started reading over my shoulder and asked when Lady Gaga was coming to the Far East. I told her that she won’t be coming here so she asked why? I told her we were too far. She asked where Lady Gaga lived and I said probably in New York but after checking, I found out that Lady Gaga was BORN in New York but now lives in California. Then T1 asked, why cant Lady Gaga come here?
I told you we are too far!
But we went to New York so she can come here surely!
I didn’t want to go into the details with her why I don’t think Lady Gaga would ever come here but I told here this.
If Lady Gaga ever makes it to Malaysia, I’d be the first to buy you her concert tickets, OK?
OK! When do you think she will be coming?
*bangs head on the floor*
Just so you know, Lady Gaga is performing in New York on March 11th 2011. Tickets can be as high as US820 for good seats but can go down to US100.
By Mamapumpkin, on September 1st, 2010
Now that Merdeka Day has come and gone, did the Earth move for you?
I remember back in the day when Merdeka Day to me was really a cause for celebration. As a child, I was brought to the Selangor Club to experience great celebrations of excitement and exhilaration. I remember walking the roads shouting Daulat Tuanku in my school uniform when the Royal Family would do their drive past in that amazing Rolls Royce convertible. Doing the Royal Wave and digging their nose in the process. Come on, we’re all human after all. Later, we had our annual tradition of watching the fireworks and there were still patriotic sentiments.
These days however……
T1 came home 2 weeks ago excited because she had learnt all the names of our Prime Ministers and knew the Merdeka story. She even enacted how Tuanku Abdul Rahman stood on stage and shouted out SEVEN times, she proclaimed and he did exactly this with his fist. She acted out the mini Tuanku Abdul Rahman on stage and was mighty proud. They must have shown them a video or something at school. I’m guessing.
I’m happy that T1 is so excited about Merdeka and that the school has managed to inject some sense of excitement and patriotism into our young children. Although the exams were over, she did not want to miss school on Monday even though I suggested it to her (as I had other things planned, hee-hee, and honestly just did not want to do the school run). Apparently there was a Merdeka celebration at school that she did not want to miss etc etc etc. OK, whatever……damn it.
I guess it is hard for me to feel happy right now because I feel that all our tax money is being abused. It’s going to that new palace across the street for the King. Why He needs a multi-billion palace, I have no idea. We’re talking billions. WHY? Please tell me. WHY?
And what about that Hospital in town that was built a few years ago? It is hardly used and do you know that the doctors there get a SALARY of close to a hundred grand a month? For doing nothing much as there are hardly any patients? Shit, if I was a doctor there, I’d feel like a criminal! In most private hospitals, doctors are made to source their own patients and pay a rental to the hospital. Not in THIS hospital. Do you also know how much the hospital cost? RM1.3 million per bed. Go figure. Why? Why are they wasting all this money when we could be developing a better nation starting with EDUCATION?!!!! Eradicating poverty. Yada-yada-yada…..
Can I please urge you, each and everyone of you Malaysians……if you are a Malaysian and have not registered to vote, please do so at your earliest, EARLIEST convenience. Do it by this weekend if you can. Seriously. Elections will be as early as very, very soon so don’t miss your chance to vote. Or lose your right to complain. I know, I know…..but vote for who, you say? Better the devil you know, than the devil you don’t? Just go and vote!!! Pray to God and ask Him for some answers!!!
It is SO TRUE that the Government hands out contracts to their preferred people. You scratch my back, I scratch yours.
By Mamapumpkin, on August 31st, 2010
T1 came home this week singing an unfamiliar song to a familiar tune. It is quite clever how her school teaches them to remember by making them learn the facts through songs, since children are naturally predisposed to learning musically and it works!
Although T1 (being her father’s daughter, his ambition was to be an astronaut and so he has taught her everything about space) already knew the planets of the solar system since she was very young, she didn’t know the configuration in which they were placed. But now she does!
Allow me to share the song the school taught so your kids too can benefit. It is about the planets sung to the tune of the nursery rhyme, THIS OLD MAN.
MERCURY, NUMBER ONE
IT IS CLOSEST TO THE SUN
CHORUS: WITH A ROUND, ROUND, GO AROUND, PLANETS ROUND THE SUN, SING ABOUT THEM EVERYONE!!
VENUS BRIGHT, NUMBER TWO
MORNING AND EVENING ‘STAR’ WE VIEW CHORUS
PLANET EARTH, NUMBER THREE
WE LIVE ON IT, YOU AND ME CHORUS
PLANET MARS, NUMBER FOUR
NAMED FOR A ROMAN GOD OF WAR CHORUS
NUMBER FIVE, JUPITER
COLOURED CLOUDS AROUND IT STIR CHORUS
NUMBER SIX, BIG SATURN
MANY RINGS AROUND IT TURN CHORUS
NUMBER SEVEN, URANUS
IT LOOKS BLUE AND GREEN TO US CHORUS
NUMBER EIGHT, STORMY NEPTUNE
TRITON IS ITS FROZEN MOON CHORUS
NUMBER NINE, DWARF PLUTO
FARTHEST FROM THE SUN, YOU KNOW CHORUS
By Mamapumpkin, on August 31st, 2010
Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.
Do you know what the most expensive diamond in the world is? Many years ago, I only knew of white diamonds. Then, my mother kept talking about yellow diamonds and pink diamonds. Today, I’ve learned that the most expensive diamond in the world is a blue diamond! Interesting??? I have also learned that there are loose lab made diamonds in my favourite colour – green! Go check them out! I’m usually not one for jewelery but if it’s anything like these eco green diamonds, I am all for it. Actually, I’m really falling in love with it……I wonder why I’m so drawn to the colour green? It happens to be T1′s favourite colour too! Without any influence from me, whatsoever. And my Moms….weird, huh?
By Mamapumpkin, on August 30th, 2010
If you knew my girl, you’d know that feminine she is not. She prefers all things boys and cannot stand being in a ballerina tutu, flings Barbies out of windows and would cook High School Musical if she could. She reads Ben 10 books (apart from Enid Blyton) and knows the Ben 10 characters.
Presumably, she knows the moves too?
I asked her what she was doing on the floor and she just grunted. Then she bounced up and shouted, “Ben 10!!”
Ooooooookkkkaaaaaayyyyyyy………………….
Whatever makes her happy!
By Mamapumpkin, on August 29th, 2010
Have you ever been there?
When they first started, I used to hang out here having breakfast with friends (read T1′s friend’s moms) as I was always too lazy to drop T1 off at school, go home and then pick her up again 3 hours later. Instead, I’d spent many hours chatting about the Earth and the Sun and the Moon in this modernesque kopitiam.
We’d try all the local coffees they offered and every single dish on the menu. I think it was more that we were just addicts of Dewi’s Corner that automatically drew us to that same corner lot! The quality of F&B used to be a lot better but lately, it has deteriorated somewhat.
When my cousins were in town from Oz, we went to Chawan every day!
Half boiled eggs with kaya toast.
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Nasi Lemak with deep fried chicken. Apparently, the chicken was out of this world. It possibly brought your heart out of this world too!
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More kaya toast, anyone?
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My favourite – plain packet nasi lemak.
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Ever since the lack of consistency at Chawan since my cousins left, I have not gone back. Out of 5 times I’d been there, they just couldn’t get their teh tarik right. It was different EVERY SINGLE TIME. Eventually, I got fed up and bored of having to send it back. I’d still go for the food though. Not great but enough to satisfy a craving.
By Mamapumpkin, on August 29th, 2010
During the weekends, that is Saturday and Sunday to us in the land of Tees (in Kota Bharu, the weekend is Friday and Saturday, did you know?), T1 spends it with Nana (and Tok-Tok, if he’s not working) so the Hubs and I are usually free to have wild sex, how I wish do the house chores and if we’re lucky, catch a dirty movie at the cinema with baby. We have thought of several ways we could do this WITHOUT baby like pay the relos big bucks to take her in for the night, or drugging her with valium and leaving her for a long sleep at home alone or leaving her in a paddling pool of a hundred marvelous boobs just outside the cinema doors, but none of our ideas have materialised for various reasons. *sigh*
This weekend however, Nana had to attend some course at the Securities Commission so we had T1 with us to irritate us deliver us joy. Yes, T1 my first born, my joyful one………
We started the day off by sending Nana off to the SC, a pleasant drive where T1 asks Nana why she has to go to school when she is so old and since she was late for class, would she have to get detention or stand in the corner of her class? Then, T1 and I, impulsively stopped by Mont Kiara’s Pelita to grab some roti canais. She’d already had breakfast but she said she had room for some roti and the smell from the highway was way enticing. Even when I suffered from sinusitis! We had prime parking right in front, oh how I love early mornings…..
The nasi kandar dishes were all marching out fresh and piping hot from the Amah’s kitchen at 8.30am and damn it, despite already ordering a roti for myself, I couldn’t resist and ordered a packet of chicken curry rice as well. IT WAS SO GOOD. Big yellow smiles all over my big tummy.
After breakfast, the Hubs whipped everyone into getting a move on house chores so we each had to get off our pampered bottoms to do some work. On a Saturday? Gee! I was in charge of laundry which I slowly attempted and this kind of fused into packing for Australia instead. Much more fun! We have to pack, right??? T1 was in charge of keeping T2 safe as she was crawling all over the house putting all sorts of new things that came her way into her mouth (slippers, boogers, stale Cheerios, you name it) and the Hubs cleaned. It’s not my fault that I’m allergic to dust. *Saint look*
So there we were, the 4 of us, working away whilst Alicia Keys reminded us of our great time in New York. And boy, did we dream…..
Before we knew it, it was past 3pm so we gobbled up a simple lunch that the Hubs abbacadabra-ed and T1 and I set off for the kids library out in PJ to return her books. When we arrived, I’d discovered that I’d left my phone at home. Drats! We were due to pick Nana up some time in the evening but had to wait for her cue. After a quick browse at the library where I hand picked 6 books for T1 (she picked 4 because she was so slow! She’d sit and read and read, and read the entire story before deciding if she’d wanted to borrow a book! What is the point then!), we exited and made a dash home, just in case Nana called for us.
But on the way home, since we passed the SC on the way, T1 suggested we swing by to check if Nana was done and if she wasn’t, then we’d just wait for her there. No need to waste gas in driving out again, what a clever girl. So I did a sharp left turn *screech* and managed not to kill anyone, parked right in front of the SC driveway and got down with T1 and T2 in my shorts, looking like a farmer, and asked the security guard at reception if I could enter to look for my mother.
He said sure! But they are done. Did she wear a white T-Shirt? No, I don’t think so. Most of them have already left, but you can go in to look. How dangerous was I with 2 kids in tow anyway? HAH! You’d be surprised!!!
As we arrived at the large full height atrium, reminiscence of designing the building back in 1997 flooded back with smiles and I had to tell T1 that Mommy designed this building together with some friends. I remember how complicated the math for the roof was but I got it worked out. I told T1 that there was a bomb proof basement below and she asked if I’d designed the cool glass lifts too? Absolutely. The building does look very worn out, I suspect poor maintenance as the culprit. No Nana in sight.
After T1 was happy with her investigation of the building that Mommy worked on, we left for home sure that Nana must’ve called Daddy to pick her up instead.
As soon as we arrived home, I touched Daddy’s car and it was cold! Perhaps Nana took a taxi? Or got a friend to give her a lift? The case of the disappearing Nana! We hurried upstairs and shouted, “NANA!!!”
NO NANA!
We looked under the couch, behind the cupboards and under the beds. Inside the treasure chest? No Nana.
What happened to Nana? Was she sent to detention because she was late or was it because she fell asleep in class since it was sooooo borrrrriiiinnngggggggg and when the class ended she was still asleep and nobody noticed her? Or maybe she got lost going to class as she was late and….. she could still be wondering around the Securities Commission? Or maybe she slipped out at lunch and decided to go shopping instead like all the other times when she had to go to the Securities Commission for ‘class‘? Gee, I wonder where I inherited this skiving genes from and hope that it has not been passed onto T1 and T2!
SO WHERE WAS NANA??????
By Mamapumpkin, on August 28th, 2010
These pictures below were taken when T1 had first started school this year and I was the ever anxious Mom who had to be at school to check exactly how they conducted their swimming classes and to make sure my 5 year old could actually handle getting changed and dry herself properly, and not enter her air-conditioned classroom dripping wet. After a few weeks, I told myself I couldn’t be at school every week just to dry her hair so we decided to cut it.
I bit my tongue and went through the steps with her on what she had to do whenever she got out of the pool. Seriously, we’re dealing with a 5 year old here.
Don’t let any of your stuff touch the wet floor.
Squeeze your swimsuit dry and put it immediately into the plastic bag.
Rinse yourself quickly (there is no time for a proper shower) and squeeze your hair dry.
Wipe your hair. Wipe your body super dry.
Put your clothes back on. Towel dry your hair again.
Pack your stuff neatly. All wet stuff into plastic bags provided.
Do not let your swimming slippers touch your stuff. It belongs to the slipper bag.
Comb your hair neatly. Listen to your teacher.
Swimming is T1′s favourite class of all at school. She LOVES swimming.
Walking to the pool.
Swimming……
So this week, the Hubs and I went to school to check her out since the coach told me she has made progress.
I had a heart attack when I saw how she handled herself after swimming. AARRGGHHH!!!! I feel as though I have to go again every week !!!
When she removed her swimsuit, it dropped to the floor. And she left it there. Her towel, dropped SEVERAL TIMES on the wet floor. She barely rinsed herself, it was rather a walk in-walk out out of the shower. Her hair was still tied then. She simply placed her cap and goggles all over the place as she moved and chatted with her friends, which means she could have easily lost them. You know how kids are. And by the time she was done, her hair was still dripping wet and making her T-Shirt wet as well. And her legs were still wet too. HOW!!!!??????
There is just no way she is ready for this. Maybe in another year. Hopefully within the next year.
And as much as the Hubs says to just let her get on with it, she’ll learn eventually, I cannot let go. It makes me so stressed out thinking and knowing that she is walking back to an air-conditioned classroom with wet hair and wet parts on her body. What shall I do???????
By Mamapumpkin, on August 28th, 2010
How many times have you bought something that didn’t work out? Or subscribed to something that was completely lousy? Or paid for services that you totally regretted? *sigh* Me? Countless times.
Most of the time, I cannot be bothered to go back and make a fuss because I am so busy and because of this, our home is filled with stuff we not only don’t need but stuff that don’t work! Plus, we have wasted so, so, so, SOOOOOOOOO much money in the last 10 years. *sigh*
From this lesson, I have now learnt to do my proper research for big ticket items first, before I spend. I will ask around, read and re-read about the product in several independent locations, and sleep on it. Sometimes for months! Just to make sure I am making the absolute right decision. And this works. If only I’d done this all my life, we won’t have a situation where we would have to declutter the home. *sigh* It is a job that takes forever.
If only they had avenues like Consumer-Rankings.com in the past where people could read reviews about whatever it is they were looking for to make an informed decision, like where to get the best online fax services or even the top dating websites! A lot of money could be save and the risk of not being scammed is further reduced. What about you? Do you make impulse purchases? Or do you do your research first?
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